Outlet receptacle



06k. 20, 1936. H HUBBELLy JR 2,057,683

OUTLET RECEPTACLE Filed June 26, 1930 Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in outletreceptacles. `An object of the invention is to provide anoutlet'receptacle'including a body having a solid or 5, integral back,the contacts being loaded into the receptacle from the front, thus doingaway with paper insulators which absorb moisture and may becomeconductors.

l Another object is to provide an outlet re- 10 ceptacle wherein theends of ears ci the contact 'l straps lock into the front or cover ofthe receptacle whereby the contacts are held in place against beingpulled out of place in the receptacle or being separated from thereceptacle. 15 This construction also provides a more rigid support forthe binding screw for connecting a lead. l Another object is to providea receptacle including a rib separating or insulating the con- 2 tactsof the receptacle from one another, the rib ,being provided with alugacting to prevent the front or vcover member being placed in any but.the right position on the receptacle when used fas a polarizedreceptacle. f Other objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing showing one embodiment of the invention.While the invention is shown 30 and described in detail it is to beunderstood .that changes may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing: 35 Fig. 1 is aV plan or front view of the improved`receptacle complete;

. Fig.'2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of ',Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the com- 40 plete. receptacle;

` Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the body of the receptacle, the front beingremoved; 5 N Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 8-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 'lis a bottom plan view of the front or ,cover member, and Fig. 8is a bottom plan view of a contact rei50 moved from the receptacle.

Referring in detail to the drawing, at I is shown the body of thereceptacle which may be -of porcelain, bakelite, or similar mouldedfire- .proof insulating material and which includes 255; sidewalls IIand an integral bottom or base I2.

The bottom or base I2 being of insulating material and being integralWith the remainder of the body I0 there is no occasion for employingpaper or other insulating media which will absorb moisture and in thecourse of time become a conductor.

Body I 0 is hollow as shown and midway between its ends is divided by apartition I3 whereby to` provide compartments I4 and I5 each adapted toreceive a contact indicated in its entirety as Il. Partition I3 extendsabove the face of the body and at one end includes a lug I8, the purposeof which will later appear.

A front or cover member I9 closes the receptacle after the contacts I 'Ihave been inserted 15 into the compartments I4 and I5 of the receptacle.This front member I9 is provided with openings to permit of theinsertion of the contacts of a plug and further at its underside thefront I9 is grooved as at 2| to receive the extended portion of thepartition I3 as best shown in Fig. 4 whereby to assist in securing andpositioning the front on the body I0 and to further insulate or separatethe compartments I4 and I5. Further the openings 20 may, as best shownin Figs. 1 and 7, be of diierent sizes whereby to polarize the device.

Front or cover I9 includes raised portions 22 and 23 which cooperatewith the body when the front is placed on the body and raised portion 23is cut away at 24 to accommodate the lug I8 of the partition or rib I3.Since raised portion 22 will not accommodate this lug I8 it isimpossible to rlt the front onto the body except when the front isproperly positioned end for end. Such an arrangement is advantageouswhen the device is used as a polarized receptacle.

Each of the compartments I4 and I5 includes a tapered or inclined wall25 and a tapered rib 26 arranged on a wall at right angles to the wall40 25. One side edge 26 of the rib 26 inclines or tapers outwardly fromthe top of the rib toward the bottom thereof, the bottom of the taperededge of the rib being closer to the Wall 25 than is the top of the rib.These inclined surfaces cooperate in securing the contacts Il Within therespective compartments as will later be described.

Contacts I'I each include a base or connection portion 21 which as bestshown in Fig. 8 is sub- 50 stantially U-shaped and from which projectsupwardly the spring contact arms 28 and 29 for cooperating with theprojecting contact lingers of different types of plugs or caps. The armsof the U-shaped connecting portions 2l of the contacts 55 opposite toarms 29 carry straps 30 through which pass binding posts 3l and whichinclude offset iingers 32 at opposite sides of the binding posts 3 I. Itwill be obvious that the straps 30 or ngers 32 are disposed against theouter wall of the body I when the contacts are assembled in the body.

To accommodate the connecting portion 2'II adjacent the strap 36, thewall of the receptacle is slotted at I6 providing access to each of thecompartments I4 and I5 whereby the contacts may be inserted from thefront of the body prior to the application of the front or cover memberI9. As

the contacts are pushed into the respective com--` V pertinents the endportion 33 of the base member p 21 will engage the tapered edge 26 ofthe urib 26 and the portion 34 of said basemember 2'I will Also strap 30is pressed against the side wall 45 ofthe body. Y Thus as the contactgoes downward in its compartmentl engage the inclined wall 25.

in the body it must be forced or sprung between these oppositelyinclined surfaces and also against the side wall of the body, thiswe-dging action preventing or assisting inr preventing movement of thecontacts out of place due to any strain placed upon a wire connectedwith the binding post 3|, and also holding the contacts stationary inthe compartments to prevent their rattling. Y

The size of the contacts relative tothe compartments is such that withthe contact in place as above described strap 30 will be positionedagainst the outer wall of the bo-dy closing the slot I6. Further, thisstrap projects above the upper surface of the body and front member I9is slotted or provided with recesses as at 35 to receive the upper ends4S of the straps 30 thus locking the straps in place. Due to thisarrangement further means are provided for maintaining the contacts inplace, any pull downwardly and outwardly on the binding postsv 3I due toa strain on a wire connected thereto `will -be taken care of due totherinterlocking relation between the upper end oi the straps 30 andithe front or cover member I9. The receptacle is provided with mountingstraps or ears 36 provided with enlarged openings 3`I to receive screwsfor securing the receptacle to a wall outlet box as will be understood.To accommodate these straps 36, the -upper surfaces of the end portionsof the front piece I9 are provided with depressions 38 and the portionsof the straps 36 are likewise depressed as at 39 whereby the ends of thestraps t into the depressions 38 and are held against turning therein. ff

A convenient means is provided for securing all of the parts togetherand to this end the body I0 and front I9 are provided with alignedopenings 40 vand M through which passes a screw 43 threaded` into tappedopenings in thedepressed portions 39 of the straps 36. Screws 43 holdingthe depressed portions 39 of the straps within the depressions 38 in thefront membersuch straps arevsecured against turning movement relative tothe receptacle and other member. The straps mayalso have tapped openings42 to receive the securing screws for the usual finishing or faceplatenot shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present outlet receptacledoes notv include any material capable of becoming impregnated withwater or of absorbing moisture and thus the likelihood of danger due tofailure of insulation is removed. Front member I9 may be of bakelite orsimilar material which is a good insulator and additionally has a goodappearance. Contacts I'I may readily `be pushed into their places in thecompartments I4 and I5 and will be securely held Having thus set forththe nature of my inven- Y tion, what I claim is:

1. In an outlet receptacle, a hollow body, a partition dividingsaidfbody into compartments each adapted to receive a contact, saidpartition ex- `ltending beyond the front face of said body, an

oiTset at one end of the projecting portion of said partition, -a frontor cover for said body having openingsgof, different sizes for theentrance of contact blades, and said front or cover having a slottoreceive the projecting portion of the partition anda space to receivesaid oiset when the front is properly positioned onV thebody whereby toprevent the front from vbeing placed on the body in reversed position; Y1 Y. .g

2; In an outlet receptacle, a'hollow body open at its front-side andhaving a slot'in one 'side wall, a-contact in said bodyr having aportion' extending through said slot; ya tapering rib'on one of theinner walls 'of the body, a portion of said contact adapted to engageand vwedgeagainst 'a tapered side of said rib as the contact is, pushedinto the receptacle to assist in holding the con tact againstvmovementin the receptacle, a strap on the portion of the contact extendingthrough the slot in the wall of the receptacle, said strapdisposed'against the outer wall of the body and extending beyond thefront` face thereof, a front or cover for said receptacle adapted to besecured on the front of said body, andsaid ,front or cover having a slottol receive the extending end of the strap to preventa pull on thelstrap from moving the contact out of place inthe receptacle.

3. In an outlet receptacle, a hollow body open at one side and Ahaving aslot a side wall, a. contact adapted to be inserted into the hollowbody, the inner wall of said body including spaced oppositely inclinedportions, said contact including a portion adapted to be pushed andwedged between said oppositely inclined portions as the contact ispushedinto the receptacle, and said contact also"` including a portionextending vthrough said slot carrying a support for a binding screw toengage an outer surface of the body whereby the contact is resilientlyheld against movement in the receptacle.`

4. In an outlet receptacle, a hollow body open at oney side and having aslot in a sidewall, a contact in said body and having al portionextending through said slot, a'tapered surfaceKA on one of the innerwalls of the body, a strapzonthe portion of -thevcontact extendingthroughn the slot in the wall of the body, said contact having-Aaportion to engage-and wedge againstsaid tapered surface as the contactis pushed into the body'to assist in holding the contact in place in thebody and to draw said strap into engagement with an exterior wall of thebody, and a cover for closing the open side of the body. 5.-*InV an-outlet receptacle, a hollow molded body open at its front side andhaving a: slot in one'side wall,'a contact adapted to be insertedintosaid body and including-a portion extending through said slot and asupport for a binding screw at the'outerfside of said slot connected to'said portion, one ofthe inner walls of the `body having a 'taperedsurface extending thef same general direction as said slot :and `facinglaway T from it, and said contact including a portion to engage saidtapered surface While said support engages an outer surface of the bodyas the contact is pushed into the body to Wedge the contact between saidsurfaces.

6. In an outlet receptacle, a, hollow body open at one side and having aslot in a side Wall, a contact in said body and having a portionextending through said slot, a tapered surface on one of the inner wallsof the body, a strap on the portion of the contact extending through theslot in the wall of the body, said contact having a portion to engageand Wedge against said tapered surface as the contact is pushed into thebody to assist in holding the contact in place in the body and to drawsaid strap into engagement with an exterior wall of the body, said strapincluding an extension projecting beyond the front face of the body, acover secured on the front face of the body, and said cover having aslot receiving the extension of the strap and preventing a pull on thestrap moving the Contact out of place in the 10 receptacle.

HARVEY HUBBELL, JR.

